Ethics and Editorial Policy

Hosted by Roskilde University.

For statements concerning specific actors see:

• Guide for Editors
• Guide for Reviewers
• Guide for Authors

JOURNAL OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY – ORGANIZATION

Our vision at the Journal of Circular Economy (JoCE) is to be the catalyst for a sustainable future where Circular Economy principles are universally adopted, creating a world without waste. It is therefore our top priority to ensure that best practices are followed in our publication processes. JoCE strongly believe that empowering scholars, policymakers and industry leaders through collaborative knowledge-sharing is achievable by complying with recognised standards for best practices in academic publishing.

Every actor (Editors, Reviewers, Authors and other JoCE staff) involved in publication processes at JoCE must act professionally, treat others with respect and avoid discrimination, harassment and bullying.

This ethics statement has been developed in alignment with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and the 2022 Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

JoCE applies the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to works JoCE publishes. Under this licence, authors agree to make articles legally available for reuse, without permission or fees, for virtually any purpose. Anyone may copy, distribute, or reuse these articles if the author and original source are properly cited.

Independence From Commercial Bias

JoCE does not allow any advertising on its website or other platforms. JoCE hereby declare that any potential for commercialisation of our, or the Authors', work has no ramifications on editorial decisions.

Policies for Editorial Members

All JoCE staff, reviewers and editors are required to declare any interests which could have a negative impact on their editorial judgement. Such interests must be reported to the General Administrative Manager for assessment as soon as possible so that appropriate actions may be taken in the interest of ensuring fair, ethical and scientifically accurate publishing.

Licencing

JoCE applies the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to works JoCE publishes. Under this licence, authors agree to make articles legally available for reuse, without permission or fees, for virtually any purpose. Anyone may copy, distribute, or reuse these articles if the author and original source are properly cited.

Transparency

Publishing processes at JoCE are designed and communicated transparently to ensure that editors, authors, reviewers, and readers have a clear understanding of what collaboration with the journal entails. All editorial and peer review decisions are expected to be fully informed and guided by clarity and accountability.

Independent Metrics

JoCE is committed to ensuring that our metrics are independent, showcasing only the real impact of our work. It should never be required from authors to use references from our journal, nor the editor's own work, with the intention to artificially increase the journal's or the editor's performance.

Complaints and Appeals

Complaints and appeals are evaluated by the Complaints and Appeals Committee, led by the Editor-in-Chief, Julian Kirchherr, on a case-by-case basis. Complaints and appeals can be directed to [email protected].

Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations of research or publication misconduct are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Editorial Ethics & Integrity Committee. The Ethics & Integrity Committee, comprised of Julian Kirchherr of Utrecht University (chair), Sultan Çetin of University of Technology (TU Delft) and Kris Hartley of Arizona State University, may be contacted by email at [email protected]. If the allegation involves a potential conflict of interest or if confidentiality is required, a secondary contact is available: Daniel Bacher, General Administration Manager ([email protected]). All allegations will be handled with strict confidentiality and in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Retractions and Corrections

It is important to ensure that all corrections are sent back to us in one communication. Please check carefully before replying, as inclusion of any subsequent corrections cannot be guaranteed. Proofreading is solely your responsibility. Retractions and or corrections are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Authors have a responsibility to maintain the integrity of the published record. If an author becomes aware of a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must:

• Promptly notify JoCE editorial office,
• Cooperate fully with the journal to issue a correction, retraction, or statement of concern, as appropriate.

JoCE may also take corrective action if concerns are raised by third parties and will contact the author(s) for clarification or evidence as needed. Failure to disclose known errors may result in retraction or further editorial investigation.

Types of Post-Publication Changes:

• Erratum – For correcting errors introduced by the journal during production (e.g., layout, author name, affiliations).
• Corrigendum – For correcting author errors that affect the accuracy or clarity of the article but not its scientific integrity.
• Retraction – For serious issues such as data fabrication, plagiarism, or ethical breaches, in accordance with COPE guidelines.
• Addendum – For additional information or clarification that enhances the original article, without changing its conclusions.

Correction Process:

Requests for correction can be submitted by authors, readers, or editors to: [email protected].

The journal will assess the request and consult relevant parties (e.g., authors, editors, reviewers) as necessary.

If approved, a correction notice will be published online, clearly linked to the original article, and indexed accordingly. The journal reserves the right to update or retract published articles when warranted to preserve academic integrity and trust in the literature. This policy in its revised form takes effect on the 23rd of September 2025.

Roles and responsibilities

Editorial Board
The editorial board consists of experts in their respective fields. Every submission for a regular issue will get a handling editor assigned from the board.

Handling Editor
The handling editor decides which submissions are accepted for peer review and publication. The handling editor approves peer reviews before they are sent to the author to revise their article. The handling editor is not bound to follow the recommendations of the peer reviewers. If a peer review is deemed insufficient by a handling editor, they may request the editorial office to solicit another reviewer.

Peer Reviewer
The editorial office finds peer reviewers anonymously. Neither the handling editor nor the authors are permitted to have any undue influence on the selection of peer reviewers or learn of their identity. Peer reviewers receive a small honorarium as a token of our gratitude.

Guest Editor
A guest editor is a handling editor who is not a part of the board. Any guest editor must be approved by the Editor-in-Chief to serve as the handling editor for a submission or special issue. Guest editors must be experts in their respective fields to the equivalent level of a board member.

Editorial Office
The editorial office facilitates the review process, including assigning a handling editor, finding the peer reviewer(s) and formatting the final manuscript. The editorial office does not hold editorial powers.

General Administrative Manager
The General Administrative Manager oversees the editorial office and is responsible for coordinating the review process. The General Administrative Manager does not hold editorial powers.

Post-Publication Discussions and Feedback

JoCE encourages constructive academic dialogue post publication. JoCE welcomes post-publication discussions, including comments, critiques, or requests for clarification related to published articles.

Submissions must be respectful, grounded in evidence, and directly relevant to the published work. All such communications intended for the journal and or editor should be sent to [email protected] and will be reviewed by the journal. Where appropriate, responses from the original authors will be invited and published alongside the comment, either as a formal response or erratum.

The journal reserves the right to reject submissions that do not meet scholarly or ethical standards.

Intellectual Property

The Journal respects intellectual property rights and requires authors to confirm:

• That all content submitted is their original work, or used with permission.
• That permissions for third-party materials (e.g., figures, datasets, images) have been obtained and are appropriately credited.

Disputes over intellectual property, including copyright infringement or misattribution, will be investigated on a case-by-case basis. The journal may issue corrections or retractions and notify relevant institutions if necessary.

Archiving

JoCE is working to archive all published manuscripts in the Internet Archive to ensure permanent public access. The journal takes the preservation of academic knowledge seriously, recognising that long-term accessibility is essential to the integrity and impact of scholarly work. Authors are also encouraged to share their work through additional relevant repositories under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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